Contract Staffing Redesigned as the Recruiting Tool of Choice to Deliver Culture Fit

The opportunity to “try before you buy” is appealing for both companies and potential hires. Candidates and hiring managers now understand that skill fit and culture fit are really important, and contract staffing or contract-to-hire services give both parties the chance to get to know each other while working together delivering on project goals and initiatives.

Hiring contractors is no longer used only to fill a short-term gap, or staff up during busy seasons. Companies are now using contract staffing as a recruiting tool to find the absolute best talent and corporate culture fit for ongoing contract roles and for permanent hires.

Marcomm excels at connecting companies to marketing solutions – including making the best human connections between corporate hiring managers and the talent they seek. Re-entering the staffing industry as Marcomm’s fractional CMO last year, I experienced a time warp in how staffing companies work with their clients today. Procurement, HR and technology have decreased the interaction with hiring managers and changed the game entirely.

What Marcomm understands better than most is that the shift away from deep client relationships and the increased use of technology to process candidates “on paper” has made it even more important to understand the skills and desires of the talent we serve. Making the human connection is essential, so we will work differently and smarter connecting companies to marketing solutions.

“The longer you’re in this industry, the greater your network and the broader your reach, said Joe Foley, Marcomm founding partner and marketing super-recruiter. “At Marcomm, we’re building on our connections and relationships developed over the past 30 years, so we can rely on our network to help us connect to the best talent to serve our clients.

The Marcomm team knows that the personal connection hasn’t been lost, it has simply shifted. Each candidate presented to a client is a representation of Marcomm’s experience and credibility – and investing time early in the recruiting process is how Marcomm stays ahead of the competition in delivering the best marketing talent.

Marcomm’s clients can be confident that the recommended talent presented by Marcomm is not only skilled, but informed about the role and company, and a solid culture fit. To make great connections, Marcomm commits to:

• Treating each interview and candidate uniquely – sharing the background of Marcomm and the specific needs of the clients we serve
• Getting to know the qualified individuals who apply to be part of the Marcomm team, listening to candidates’ interest and balancing aspirations with position realities
• Building rapport and trust with each candidate, understanding the individual and what they are looking for helps Marcomm align candidates with clients who need and value their expertise

This is why Marcomm has such a good track record of placing candidates who stay with their clients not just for months, or a single project, but for years – often becoming part of the client’s full-time team.

“And just because its challenging to connect directly to hiring managers through all the layers of technology and process does not mean Marcomm does not make the effort,” said Jamie Simpson, Marcomm business operations leader. “We invest the time to learn about the companies we serve, and to ensure that our services align with their needs.” Marcomm cares about each client and makes the investment – both in knowing the company and understanding the aspirations of the candidates we present.

Ultimately, we know that companies use staffing because of the great benefits. COVID-19 has further impacted how companies think about contractors and remote workers. The idea of using contingent talent to build teams and reach goals is more acceptable now, especially with the uncertainty regarding budgets and projects for the future. 

Benefits of using contract staffing:

• Fewer barriers to find good talent and faster fulfillment for immediate gaps
• Not dependent on the time and resource intensive process of hiring full time
• Easier to make shifts when needs require changes
• Access to industry-specific recruiting expertise who are working with talent on-going
• Hiring contractors later is easier, and typically has no recruiting fees (Marcomm offers no fee conversions)

In a tight labor market, or when looking for very specific expertise, using contract services maintains a distinct advantage. Staffing companies have a broader reach of candidates and specialized companies like Marcomm have access to a broad talent pool and a track record of making successful connections.

Marcomm is distinctly different:

• We treat our recruiting pool like humans – catering to their interests and needs so that we place them in the right role, with the right company
• Candidates say Marcomm provides a better experience and better follow up – resulting in more successful long-term placements
• Greater marketing expertise than any other local provider means that we understand the unique needs of our client’s roles – from UX Design to Digital Marketing to Communication Management, and everything in between

Why use a reputable staffing partner like Marcomm?

• Reputable staffing companies carry the highest insurance levels to protect clients if something goes wrong
• Working with freelancers directly comes with co-employment risks and administrative headaches
• Sourcing, hiring and firing are the responsibility of the staffing company, reducing client burden
• Good staffing companies provide their employees benefits – helping to provide stability and avoiding co-employment issues in long term contracts
• Taxes, benefits and other financial administration are carried by the staffing company

And there are more reasons to use a quality staffing partner. The Society of Human Resource Management shares various resources like this excerpt from a 2017 article on avoiding staffing agency snags:

As more employers opt to fill talent gaps and increase workforce agility by contracting with staffing agencies for temporary workers, some have learned the hard way that it is not always a smooth path.

Yet the demand does not seem to be letting up. U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 3.2 million temp and contract workers per week in 2016—up from 2.2 million in 2009, according to the American Staffing Association (ASA). That growth is expected to continue as the overall workforce expands, says ASA General Counsel Stephen Dwyer. 

Avoid challenges like unexpected price tags, co-employment issues, performance issues and more when you work with a reputable solution provider.

Learn more about how Marcomm connects companies to marketing solutions